AgIISO4: A Genuine Sulfate of Divalent Silver with Anomalously Strong One-Dimensional Antiferromagnetic Interactions

Silver, Its Salts and Application in Medicine and Pharmacy

The healing properties of silver have been used since ancient times. The main aim of the study was to collect and review the literature on the clinical potential of silver, its salts and complex compounds. The second goal was to present an outline of the historical use of silver in medicine and pharmacy, taking into account the possibility of producing pharmaceutical drug forms on the premises of pharmacies. In the context of the growing resistance of microorganisms to available, widely used antibiotics, silver plays a key role. There is only one known case of bacterial resistance to silver-the Pseudomonas stutzeri strain, which naturally occurs in silver mines. The development of research in the field of coordination chemistry offers great opportunities in the design of new substances in which silver ions can be incorporated. These substances exhibit increased potency and often an extended antimicrobial spectrum. Silver-based compounds are, however, only limited to external applications, as opposed to their historic oral administration. Advanced studies of their physicochemical, microbiological, cytotoxic and genotoxic properties are ongoing and full of challenges. The improvement of the methods of synthesis gives the possibility of applying the newly synthesized compounds ex tempore, as was the case with the complex of metronidazole with silver (I) nitrate. Some of these experimental efforts performed in vitro are followed with clinical trials. The third and final goal of this study was to present the possibility of obtaining an ointment under the conditions of an actual pharmacy using silver (I) salts and a ligand, both of which are active substances with antimicrobial properties.

Relativistic Effects Stabilize Unusual Gold(II) Sulfate Structure via Aurophilic Interactions

The crystal structure of gold(II) sulfate is strikingly different from other coinage metal(II) sulfates. Central to the unsual AuSO₄ bulk structure is the Au₂⁴⁺ ion with a very close Au-Au contact, which is a structural feature that does not appear in CuSO₄ and AgSO₄. To shed some light on this unusual behavior, we decided to investigate the relative stabilities of the coinage metal(II) sulfates utilizing periodic Density Functional Theory. By computing relative energies of the hypothetical nonrelativistic gold(II) sulfate (Au_NRSO₄) in different structural arrangements and performing chemical bonding analyses employing the Electron Localization Function as well as the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules method, we show that the stability of the unsual AuSO₄ bulk structure can be related to aurophilic interactions enabled by relativistic effects. From the relative stabilities and UV-vis spectra computed via GW methodology, we predict that Au_NRSO₄ would assume the structure of either copper(II) sulfate or silver(II) sulfate with almost equal likelihood and appear as bright-violet or deep-blue substances, respectively.

AgII -Mediated Electrocatalytic Ambient CH4 Functionalization Inspired by HSAB Theory

Although most class (b) transition metals have been studied in regard to CH₄ activation, divalent silver (Ag^II ), possibly owing to its reactive nature, is the only class (b) high-valent transition metal center that is not yet reported to exhibit reactivities towards CH₄ activation. We now report that electrochemically generated Ag^II metalloradical readily functionalizes CH₄ into methyl bisulfate (CH₃ OSO₃ H) at ambient conditions in 98 % H₂ SO₄ . Mechanistic investigation experimentally unveils a low activation energy of 13.1 kcal mol^-1 , a high pseudo-first-order rate constant of CH₄ activation up to 2.8×10³  h^-1 at room temperature and a CH₄ pressure of 85 psi, and two competing reaction pathways preferable towards CH₄ activation over solvent oxidation. Reaction kinetic data suggest a Faradaic efficiency exceeding 99 % beyond 180 psi CH₄ at room temperature for potential chemical production from widely distributed natural gas resources with minimal infrastructure reliance.

The fate of compound with AgF2:AgO stoichiometry-A theoretical study

Metal oxyfluorides constitute a broad group of chemical compounds with a rich spectrum of crystal structures and properties. Surprisingly though, none of the ternary oxyfluorides contains a cation from group 11 of the periodic table. Intending to find one, we focused on the silver derivative, the Ag₂OF₂ system, which may be considered as the 1:1 "adduct" of AgF₂ (i.e., an antiferromagnetic positive U charge transfer insulator) and AgO (i.e., a diamagnetic disproportionated negative charge transfer insulator). Here, possible crystal structures of the silver oxyfluoride were studied using evolutionary algorithms based on the density functional theory approach. We analyzed the oxidation states of silver in the low-energy structures, possible magnetic interactions, and energetic stability with respect to the available substrates. Our findings suggest that silver oxyfluoride, if obtained, may form a metastable crystal with cations in three different oxidation states of the same element. Due to the small energy difference, existence of a fully disproportionated metallic compound cannot be ruled out. Finally, we outlined a prospect for the synthesis of polytypes of interest using diverse synthetic approaches, starting from the direct fluorination of Ag₂O.

Oxidation of Silver Cyanide Ag(CN)2- by the OH Radical: From Ab Initio Calculation to Molecular Simulation and to Experiment

We investigate the oxidation of silver cyanide AgI(CN)2- in water by the OH radical in order to compare this complex with the free cation Ag⁺ and to measure the influence of the ligands. High-level ab initio calculations of the model species AgII(CN)2· enable the calibration of molecular simulations and the prediction of the oxidized species: AgII(CN)2(H2O)2· and its absorption spectrum, with an intense band at 292 nm and a weaker one at 390 nm. Pulse radiolysis measurements of the oxidation of AgI(CN)2- by the OH radical in water yields a transient species with a broad, intense band at 290 nm and a weaker band at 410 nm at short times after the pulse and a blue shift of the spectrum at longer times. The prediction of the simulations, that the oxidized complex AgII(CN)2(H2O)2· is formed, is confirmed by thermochemistry. Our calculations also suggest that the formation of the OH-adduct is possible only in very basic solution and that the blue shift observed at long times after the pulse is due to disproportionation of the oxidized complex. We also perform molecular simulations of the oxidation of free Ag⁺ cations by the OH radical. The results are compared to that of the literature and to the results obtained with the AgI(CN)2- complex.

Syntheses of Dioxygenyl Salts by Photochemical Reactions in Liquid Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride: X-ray Crystal Structures of α- and β-O2Sn2F9, O2Sn2F9·0.9HF, O2GeF5·HF, and O2[Hg(HF)]4(SbF6)9

By treating gaseous, liquid, or solid fluorides with UV-photolyzed O₂/F₂ mixtures and by treating solid oxides with UV-photolyzed F₂ (or O₂/F₂ mixtures) in liquid anhydrous HF at ambient temperature, we investigated the possibility of the preparation of O₂M^IIIF₄ (M = B, Fe, Co, Ag), O₂M^IVF₅ (M = Ti, Sn, Pb), (O₂)₂M^IVF₆ (M = Ti, Ge, Sn, Pb, Pd, Ni, Mn), O₂M^IV₂F₉ (M = Sn), O₂M^VF₆ (M = As, Sb, Au, Pt), O₂M^V₂F₁₁ (M = Pt), O₂M^VIF₇ (M = Se), (O₂)₂M^VIF₈ (M = Mo, W), and O₂M^VIIF₈ (M = I). The approach has been successful in the case of previously known O₂BF₄, O₂MF₆ (M = As, Sb, Au; Pt), O₂GeF₅, and (O₂)₂(Ti₇F₃₀). Novel compounds O₂GeF₅·HF, α-O₂Sn₂F₉ (1-D), and the HF-solvated and nonsolvated forms of β-O₂Sn₂F₉ (2-D) were synthesized and their crystal structures determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structures of all of these materials arise from the condensation of octahedral MF₆ (M = Ge, Sn) units. The anion in the crystal structure of O₂GeF₅·HF is comprised of infinite ([GeF₅]⁻)_∞ chains of GeF₆ octahedra that share common vertices. The HF molecules and O₂⁺ cations are located between the chains. The crystal structure of α-O₂SnF₉ (1-D) is constructed from [O₂]⁺ cations and polymeric ([Sn₂F₉]⁻)_∞ anions which appear as two parallel infinite chains comprised of SnF₆ units, where each SnF₆ unit of one chain is connected to a SnF₆ unit of the second chain through a shared fluorine vertex. The single-crystal structure determination of [O₂][Sn₂F₉]·0.9HF reveals that it is comprised of two-dimensional ([Sn₂F₉]⁻)_∞ grids with [O₂]⁺ cations and HF molecules located between them. The 2-D grids have a wavelike conformation. The ([Sn₂F₉]⁻)_∞ layer contains both six- and seven-coordinated Sn(IV) atoms that are interconnected by bridging fluorine atoms. A new, more complex [O₂]⁺ salt, O₂[Hg(HF)]₄[SbF₆]₉, was prepared. In its crystal structure, the Hg atoms bridge to SbF₆ units to form a 3-D framework. The O₂⁺ cations are located inside the voids while the HF molecules are bound to Hg atoms through the F atom. Attempts to prepare several chlorine analogues of O₂⁺ fluorine salts (i.e., O₂TiCl₅ and O₂MCl₆ (M = Nb, Sb)) failed.

Reactions between fluorides and/or oxides and UV-irradiated F₂ and/or F₂/O₂ mixtures were carried out in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride at ambient temperature to prepare O₂⁺ salts. The crystal structures of O₂GeF₅·HF and O₂GeF₅ consist of infinite polymeric ([GeF₅]⁻)_∞ anions. The O₂Sn₂F₉ salt exhibits polymorphism consisting of a 1-D phase built from double chainlike ([Sn₂F₉]⁻)_∞ anions and a 2-D phase built from layerlike anions. The latter also exists as a solvated form O₂Sn₂F₉·nHF. The crystal structure of O₂[Hg(HF)]₄(SbF₆)₉ is isotypic to that of H₃O[Cd(HF)]₄(SbF₆)₉. The Hg atoms are bridged by SbF₆ groups forming a 3-D framework with O₂⁺ cations located inside the voids. The HF molecules are bound to Hg atoms through the F atom.

Nonstationary Two-Dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: A Method for Studying Reaction Mechanisms in Situ

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is a versatile tool of chemical analysis allowing one to determine structures of molecules with atomic resolution. Particularly informative are two-dimensional (2D) experiments that directly identify atoms coupled by chemical bonds or a through-space interaction. Thus, NMR could potentially be powerful tool to study reactions in situ and explain their mechanisms. Unfortunately, 2D NMR is very time-consuming and thus often cannot serve as a "snapshot" technique for in situ reaction monitoring. Particularly difficult is the case of spectra, in which resonance frequencies vary in the course of reaction. This leads to resolution and sensitivity loss, often hindering the detection of transient products. In this paper we introduce a novel approach to correct such nonstationary 2D NMR signals and raise the detection limits over 10 times. We demonstrate success of its application for studying the mechanism of the reaction of AgSO₄-induced synthesis of diphenylmethane-type compounds. Several reactions occur in the studied mixture of benzene and toluene, all with rather low yield and leading to compounds with similar chemical shifts. Nevertheless, with the use of a proposed 2D NMR approach we were able to describe complex mechanisms of diphenylmethane formation involving AgSO₄-induced toluene deprotonation and formation of benzyl carbocation, followed by nucleophilic attacks.

Quest for Compounds at the Verge of Charge Transfer Instabilities: The Case of Silver(II) Chloride †

Electron-transfer processes constitute one important limiting factor governing stability of solids. One classical case is that of CuI2, which has never been prepared at ambient pressure conditions due to feasibility of charge transfer between metal and nonmetal (CuI2 → CuI + ½ I2). Sometimes, redox instabilities involve two metal centers, e.g., AgO is not an oxide of divalent silver but rather silver(I) dioxoargentate(III), Ag(I)[Ag(III)O2]. Here, we look at the particularly interesting case of a hypothetical AgCl2 where both types of redox instabilities operate simultaneously. Since standard redox potential of the Ag(II)/Ag(I) redox pair reaches some 2 V versus Normal Hydrogen Electrode (NHE), it might be expected that Ag(II) would oxidize Cl− anion with great ease (standard redox potential of the ½ Cl2/Cl− pair is + 1.36 V versus Normal Hydrogen Electrode). However, ionic Ag(II)Cl2 benefits from long-distance electrostatic stabilization to a much larger degree than Ag(I)Cl + ½ Cl2, which affects relative stability. Moreover, Ag(II) may disproportionate in its chloride, just like it does in an oxide; this is what AuCl2 does, its formula corresponding in fact to Au(I)[Au(III)Cl4]. Formation of polychloride substructure, as for organic derivatives of Cl3− anion, is yet another possibility. All that creates a very complicated potential energy surface with a few chemically distinct minima i.e., diverse polymorphic forms present. Here, results of our theoretical study for AgCl2 will be presented including outcome of evolutionary algorithm structure prediction method, and the chemical identity of the most stable form will be uncovered together with its presumed magnetic properties. Contrary to previous rough estimates suggesting substantial instability of AgCl2, we find that AgCl2 is only slightly metastable (by 52 meV per formula unit) with respect to the known AgCl and ½ Cl2, stable with respect to elements, and simultaneously dynamically (i.e., phonon) stable. Thus, our results point out to conceivable existence of AgCl2 which should be targeted via non-equilibrium approaches.

Influence of Relativistic Effects on Bonding Modes in M(II) Dinuclear Complexes (M = Au, Ag, and Cu)

The stability and bonding in dinuclear group 11 metal complexes (M = Au, Ag, and Cu) in their +2 oxidation state has been investigated by quantum chemical methods. Two model complexes were selected as representatives of different bonding situations in the dinuclear M(II) complexes, a direct metal-metal bond between two ligand stabilized monomers and ligand-mediated bridged dimer system, making them interesting for a direct comparison and to study the influence of relativistic effects. Relativity substantially stabilizes the direct metal-metal bonded system obtaining the sequence in M-M bond stability Au > Ag > Cu. In the ligand-bridged structure, an asymmetric bonding situation is obtained for gold, resulting in two stronger/covalent and two weaker/ionic bonds per gold atom. Here we observe the opposite trend in stability Cu > Ag > Au. Our analysis nicely corroborates with what is known from experimental observation.

[Ag(OH2 )2 ][Ag(SO4 )2 ]: A Hydrate of a Silver(II) Salt

When exposed to air at ambient conditions, AgSO₄ slowly reacts with moisture, yielding AgSO₄ ⋅H₂ O. The crystal structure determination (powder data) shows that it may be described as [Ag(OH₂ )₂ ][Ag(SO₄ )₂ ], with some sulfate groups being shared between different Ag²⁺ cations, resembling in that way its Cu²⁺ analogue. [Ag(OH₂ )₂ ][Ag(SO₄ )₂ ], the first hydrate of a compound of Ag²⁺ , was extensively characterized using many physicochemical methods.

Reconnaissance of reactivity of an Ag(ii)SO4 one-electron oxidizer towards naphthalene derivatives

Ag(ii)SO₄ – a powerful oxidizer – allows for single-pot oxidative aromatic coupling of naphthalene and its 1- and 2-substituted derivatives.

Ag2S2O8 meets AgSO4: the second example of metal–ligand redox isomerism among inorganic systems

Ag(i)₂S₂O₈ – prepared here for the first time – constitutes a redox isomer of the already known Ag(ii)SO₄. These “electromers” have identical chemical composition but they differ in all important physicochemical properties.

AgPO2F2 and Ag9(PO2F2)14: the first Ag(i) and Ag(i)/Ag(ii) difluorophosphates with complex crystal structures

The reaction of AgF2 with P2O3F4 yields a mixed valence Ag(I)/Ag(II) difluorophosphate salt with AgAg(PO2F2)14 stoichiometry - the first Ag(ii)-PO2F2 system known. This highly moisture sensitive brown solid is thermally stable up to 120 °C, which points at further feasible extension of the chemistry of Ag(ii)-PO2F2 systems. The crystal structure shows a very complex bonding pattern, comprising of polymeric Ag(PO2F2)14(4-) anions and two types of Ag(I) cations. One particular Ag(II) site present in the crystal structure of Ag9(PO2F2)14 is the first known example of square pyramidal penta-coordinated Ag(ii) in an oxo-ligand environment. Ag(i)PO2F2 - the product of the thermal decomposition of Ag9(PO2F2)14 - has also been characterized by thermal analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. It has a complicated crystal structure as well, which consists of infinite 1D [Ag(I)O4/2] chains which are linked to more complex 3D structures via OPO bridges. The PO2F2(-) anions bind to cations in both compounds as bidentate oxo-ligands. The terminal F atoms tend to point inside the van der Waals cavities in the crystal structure of both compounds. All important structural details of both title compounds were corroborated by DFT calculations.

Exploring PtSO4 and PdSO4 phases: an evolutionary algorithm based investigation

Metal sulfate formation is one of the major challenges to the emission aftertreatment catalysts. Unlike the incredibly sulfation prone nature of Pd to form PdSO4, no experimental evidence exists for PtSO4 formation. Given the mystery of nonexistence of PtSO4, we explore PtSO4 using a combined approach of an evolutionary algorithm based search technique and quantum mechanical computations. Experimentally known PdSO4 is considered for the comparison and validation of our results. We predict many possible low-energy phases of PtSO4 and PdSO4 at 0 K, which are further investigated in a wide range of temperature-pressure conditions. An entirely new low-energy (tetragonal P42/m) structure of PtSO4 and PdSO4 is predicted, which appears to be the most stable phase of PtSO4 and a competing phase of the experimentally known monoclinic C2/c phase of PdSO4. Phase stability at a finite temperature is further examined and verified by Gibbs free energy calculations of sulfates towards their possible decomposition products. Finally, temperature-pressure phase diagrams are computationally established for both PtSO4 and PdSO4.

The first example of a mixed valence ternary compound of silver with random distribution of Ag(I) and Ag(II) cations

The reaction between colourless AgSbF6 and sky-blue Ag(SbF6)2 (molar ratio 2 : 1) in gaseous HF at 323 K yields green Ag3(SbF6)4, a new mixed-valence ternary fluoride of silver. Unlike in all other Ag(I)/Ag(II) systems known to date, the Ag(+) and Ag(2+) cations are randomly distributed on a single 12b Wyckoff position at the 4̄ axis of the I4̄3d cell. Each silver forms four short (4 × 2.316(7) Å) and four long (4 × 2.764(6) Å) contacts with the neighbouring fluorine atoms. The valence bond sum analysis suggests that such coordination would correspond to a severely overbonded Ag(I) and strongly underbonded Ag(II). Thorough inspection of thermal ellipsoids of the fluorine atoms closest to Ag centres reveals their unusual shape, indicating that silver atoms must in fact have different local coordination spheres; this is not immediately apparent from the crystal structure due to static disorder of fluorine atoms. The Ag K-edge XANES analysis confirmed that the average oxidation state of silver is indeed close to +1⅓. The optical absorption spectra lack features typical of a metal thus pointing out to the semiconducting nature of Ag3(SbF6)4. Ag3(SbF6)4 is magnetically diluted and paramagnetic (μ(eff) = 1.9 μ(B)) down to 20 K with a very weak temperature independent paramagnetism. Below 20 K weak antiferromagnetism is observed (Θ = -4.1 K). Replacement of Ag(I) with potassium gives K(I)2Ag(II)(SbF6)4 which is isostructural to Ag(I)2Ag(II)(SbF6)4. Ag3(SbF6)4 is a genuine mixed-valence Ag(I)/Ag(II) compound, i.e. Robin and Day Class I system (localized valences), despite Ag(I) and Ag(II) adopting the same crystallographic position.

Chemistry of silver(II): a cornucopia of peculiarities†

Silver is the heavier congener of copper in the Periodic Table, but the chemistry of these two elements is very different. While Cu(II) is the most common cationic form of copper, Ag(II) is rare and its compounds exhibit a broad range of peculiar physico-chemical properties. These include, but are not limited to: (i) uncommon oxidizing properties, (ii) unprecedented large mixing of metal and ligand valence orbitals, (iii) strong spin-polarization of neighbouring ligands, (iv) record large magnetic superexchange constants, (v) ease of thermal decomposition of its salts with O-, N- or C-ligands, as well as (vi) robust Jahn-Teller effect which is preserved even at high pressure. These intriguing features of the compounds of Ag(II) will be discussed here together with (vii) a possibility of electromerism (electronic tautomerism) for a certain class of Ag(II) salts.

Crystal and electronic structures and high-pressure behavior of AgSO4, a unique narrow band gap antiferromagnetic semiconductor: LDA(+U) picture

We demonstrate that DFT calculations performed with the local density approximation (LDA) allow for significantly better reproduction of lattice constants, the unit cell volume and the density of Ag(II)SO(4) than those done with generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The LDA+U scheme, which accounts for electronic correlation effects, enables the accurate prediction of the magnetic superexchange constant of this strongly correlated material and its band gap at the Fermi level. The character of the band gap places the compound on the borderline between a Mott insulator and a charge transfer insulator. The size of the band gap (0.82 eV) indicates that AgSO(4) is a ferrimagnetic semiconductor, and possibly an attractive material for spintronics. A bulk modulus of 27.0 GPa and a compressibility of 0.037 GPa(-1) were determined for AgSO(4) from the third-order Birch-Murnaghan isothermal equation of state up to 20 GPa. Several polymorphic types compete with the ambient pressure P-1 phase as the external pressure is increased. The P-1 phase is predicted to resist pressure-induced metallization up to at least 20 GPa.